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Summary

For courses in World Religions or Comparative Religions. This introduction to the world's religions provides an orientation to the study of religion; surveys the stages of development, worldviews, and current situations of the major world religions; and discusses the ways these religions respond to contemporary ethical issues. It also presents a sampling of new religious movements and looks to the possible ways the world's religions may interact in the 21st century. Its distinctive "framework for understanding" religious worldviews allows students to compare and contrast the teachings of religions objectively.

Author Biography

William Young is Professor of Religious Studies at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. In addition to The World’s Religions: Worldviews and Contemporary Ethical Issues (3rd edition, 2009) he is co-author (with Christian Hauer) of the widely-adopted textbook An Introduction to the Bible: A Journey into Three Worlds (Prentice Hall, 7th edition, 2008) and author of Quest for Harmony: Native American Spiritual Traditions (Hackett Press, 2006). During a thirty-five year teaching career, he has introduced generations of students to the world’s religions and taught a wide variety of special topic courses ranging from Religion and Politics to Spiritual Ecology: Religion and Nature.

Table of Contents

Preface

p. xi

Introduction

p. 1

An Introduction to Religion and the Study of Religion

p. 2

What Is Religion?

p. 2

The Problem of Defining Religion

p. 2

Adopting a Working Definition of Religion

p. 3

Secular Religions?

p. 5

Why Are People Religious?

p. 6

Why So Many Religions?

p. 7

Why Is the Study of Religion So Important in the Twenty-First Century?

p. 7

What Is the Relationship Between Science and Religion?

p. 9

How Might Religion Be Studied?

p. 10

Evaluative Methods of Studying Religion

p. 10

Descriptive Methods of Studying Religion

p. 11

How Will We Study the World's Religions?

p. 12

A Framework for Understanding and Comparing Religious Worldviews

p. 12

Symbols, Myths, and Rituals

p. 14

Looking Ahead: An overview of the Rest of the Text

p. 17

Chapter Summary

p. 19

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 20

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 20

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 21

The World's Religions-Histories and Worldviews

p. 23

Indigenous Religions-Quest for Harmony

p. 24

An Orientation to Indigenous Peoples and Their Religions

p. 24

Problems in Studying Indigenous Religions

p. 24

The Traditional Worldview of Indigenous Peoples

p. 26

The Yoruba of West Africa

p. 31

Introduction

p. 31

Yoruba Religion: Harmony with the Orisa

p. 32

The Oglala Lakota (Sioux) of the Great Plains of North America

p. 37

Introduction

p. 37

A Brief History of the Oglala Lakota

p. 38

Oglala Lakota Religion: The Way of the Sacred Pipe

p. 39

The Continuing Impact of Indigenous Religions in the Twenty-First Century

p. 48

Chapter Summary

p. 48

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 49

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 49

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 49

Hinduism-Many Paths to the Summit

p. 53

Introduction

p. 53

An Orientation to South and Southeast Asia

p. 54

Lands and Peoples

p. 54

A Brief History of India

p. 54

The Traditional South Asian Worldview

p. 56

Stages of Development and Sacred Texts

p. 59

The Problem with the Name "Hinduism"

p. 59

Religion of the Indus Valley (Harappan) Civilization

p. 59

The Religion of the Vedas: The Rig-Veda and the Upanishads

p. 60

Hindu Society: The Laws of Manu

p. 62

The Epics: Ramayana and Mahabharata

p. 64

Devotional Literature and Movements: The Puranas

p. 66

Philosophical Literature and Movements: The Yoga School and Advaita Vedanta

p. 70

Hindu Reform Movements and Reformers in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

p. 71

Independent India

p. 73

The Hindu Worldview

p. 74

Humanity: An Eternal Soul (Atman)

p. 74

Problem: Trapped by Karma

p. 74

Cause: Desire and Ignorance

p. 74

End: Liberation (Moksha) from the Cycle of Rebirth

p. 74

Means: The Paths of Action, Devotion, and Knowledge

p. 75

Reality: Penetrating the Veil of Maya

p. 79

Sacred: Many Gods and Beyond the Gods

p. 79

Hinduism in the Twenty-First Century

p. 79

Hinduism as a Global Religion

p. 79

Hindu Nationalism in India

p. 80

Chapter Summary

p. 81

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 82

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 82

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 83

Theravada Buddhism-The Middle Way

p. 84

Introduction

p. 84

Stages of Development and Sacred Texts

p. 84

Founder: Siddartha Gautama

p. 84

Formation of the Order of Buddhist Monks and Nuns (Sangha)

p. 87

The Spread of Buddhism Beyond India

p. 88

The Pali Canon

p. 88

The Three Major Branches of Buddhism

p. 88

The Theravada Buddhist Worldview

p. 89

Humanity: No Permanent Identity (Anatta) and Dependent Origination

p. 89

Problem: The First Noble Truth-Life Is Suffering (Dukkha)

p. 90

Cause: The Second Noble Truth-Suffering Is Caused by Craving (Tanha)

p. 91

End: The Third Noble Truth-The Extinction of Craving (Nirvana)

p. 92

Means: The Fourth Noble Truth-The Eightfold Path of the Middle Way

p. 94

Reality: Impermanence (Anicca)

p. 97

Sacred: Spiritual Atheism

p. 97

Theravada Buddhism in the Twenty-First Century

p. 97

Chapter Summary

p. 98

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 99

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 99

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 99

Jainism-The Way of Noninjury

p. 101

Introduction

p. 101

Stages of Development and Sacred Texts

p. 101

Founder: Mahavira and the Tirthankaras

p. 101

The Jain Community

p. 103

Jain Texts: The Agamas

p. 103

The Jain Worldview

p. 104

Humanity: Eternal, Infinite Souls (Fivas)

p. 104

Problem: Souls "Weighed Down" by Actions (Karma)

p. 104

Cause: Activity

p. 104

End: Becoming a Conqueror (Fina) and Well-Being

p. 105

Means: Self-Denial and Noninjury (Abimsa)

p. 105

Reality: A Dualism of Matter (Ajiva) and Spirit (Fiva)

p. 109

Sacred: Spiritual Atheism

p. 110

Jainism in the Twenty-First Century

p. 110

Chapter Summary

p. 110

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 111

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 111

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 111

Daoism-The Way of Nature

p. 113

Introduction

p. 113

An Orientation to East Asia

p. 113

Lands and Peoples

p. 113

A Brief History of China

p. 114

The East Asian Worldview and Indigenous Religions

p. 115

Daoism: The Way of Nature

p. 119

Stages of Development and Sacred Texts

p. 120

The Worldview of Daoist Philosophy

p. 124

Daoism in the Twenty-First Century

p. 126

Chapter Summary

p. 127

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 127

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 127

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 128

Confucianism-The Way of Virtue

p. 129

Introduction

p. 129

Stages of Development and Sacred Texts

p. 130

Founder: Master Kong (Confucius)

p. 130

The Analects and Other Texts

p. 131

Formation of the Confucian School, and Confucianism as State Teaching

p. 131

Neo-Confucianism

p. 132

Is Confucianism a Religion?

p. 133

The Decline of Confucianism

p. 133

The Confucian Worldview

p. 133

Humanity: Social Relationships and Microcosm

p. 133

Problem: Social Chaos

p. 134

Cause: A Breakdown of Virtue

p. 134

End: Leaders of Character (Fun-zi) and the Harmonious Society

p. 134

Means: The Virtuous Life

p. 134

Reality: Life-Giving, Relational, Harmonious

p. 137

Sacred: Making the Dao Great

p. 137

Confucianism and Other Religions in the People's Republic of China

p. 137

Chapter Summary

p. 139

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 139

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 139

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 140

Mahayana Buddhism (The Great Vehicle) and Vajrayana Buddhism (The Thunderbolt Vehicle)

p. 141

Introduction

p. 141

A Brief History of Korea and Japan

p. 141

Korea

p. 141

Japan

p. 142

Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism in East Asia

p. 143

The Spread of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism into East Asia

p. 143

Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhist Texts of India

p. 144

Mahayana, Vajrayana, and Theravada Buddhism Contrasted

p. 145

The "Three Bodies" of the Buddha

p. 145

Bodhisattvas

p. 145

Sunyata ("Emptiness")

p. 146

Major Mahayana Schools in East Asia

p. 147

Pure Land: The Devotional School

p. 147

Zen: The Meditation School

p. 149

Nichiren: The Political School

p. 152

Vajrayana Buddhism in Tibet

p. 154

Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism in the Twenty-First Century

p. 157

Chapter Summary

p. 158

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 158

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 158

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 158

Shinto-The Way of the Kami

p. 160

Introduction

p. 160

Stages of Development and Sacred Texts

p. 160

The Origin and Meaning of "Shinto"

p. 160

The Shinto Myth: Japan as the Land of the Kami

p. 161

Popular Japanese Religion

p. 162

Medieval Shinto: Theoretical Amalgamation with Buddhism

p. 162

The Revival of Shinto

p. 163

The Shinto Worldview

p. 165

Humanity: The People of the Kami

p. 165

Problem: Pollution

p. 165

Cause: Lack of Reverence for the Kami

p. 166

End: Purity and Harmony

p. 166

Means: Shrines, Rituals, and Self-Cultivation

p. 166

Reality: The Land of the Kami

p. 169

Sacred: The Kami

p. 170

Religion in Twenty-First-Century Japan and Korea

p. 170

Japan

p. 170

Korea

p. 171

Chapter Summary

p. 171

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 171

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 172

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 172

Judaism-The Way of Torah

p. 173

Introduction

p. 173

An Orientation to the Middle East

p. 174

Lands and Peoples

p. 174

A Brief History

p. 174

The Traditional Worldview

p. 175

Judaism: The Way of Torah

p. 180

What Is Judaism?

p. 180

Stages of Development and Sacred Texts

p. 180

The Jewish Worldview

p. 189

Judaism in the Twenty-First Century

p. 197

Chapter Summary

p. 198

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 198

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 199

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 199

Christianity-The Way of Jesus Christ

p. 201

Introduction

p. 201

Stages of Development and Sacred Texts

p. 201

Founder: Jesus of Nazareth

p. 201

The New Testament and the Birth of Christianity

p. 203

The Institutionalization and Spread of Christianity

p. 205

Reform Movements in Christianity

p. 207

Major Christian Movements

p. 208

Other Developments

p. 212

The Christian Worldview

p. 213

Humanity: One in Christ

p. 213

Problem: Separation from God

p. 213

Cause: Original Sin

p. 214

End: The Kingdom of God in Heaven and on Earth

p. 214

Means: Grace, Faith, and the Sacraments

p. 215

Reality: Creation and the Cosmic Christ

p. 217

Sacred: One God, Three "Persons"

p. 218

Christianity in the Twenty-First Century

p. 219

Chapter Summary

p. 222

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 222

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 222

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 223

Islam-The Way of Submission to Allah

p. 225

Introduction

p. 225

Stages of Development and Sacred Texts

p. 226

Arabia in the Seventh Century C.E.

p. 226

The Prophet Muhammad

p. 226

The Holy Qur'an

p. 228

The Spread of Islam and the Rise of Islamic Civilization

p. 228

The Branches of Islam

p. 231

Sufi: The Mystical Movement

p. 234

The Revival of Islam

p. 236

The Islamic Worldview

p. 241

Humanity: From a Single Soul

p. 241

Problem: Rejecting Allah's Guidance

p. 242

Cause: Distraction

p. 242

End: Paradise and the "House of Islam"

p. 242

Means: A Life of Submission

p. 243

Reality: The Signs of Allah

p. 247

Sacred: There Is No God but Allah

p. 247

Islam in the Twenty-First Century

p. 248

Chapter Summary

p. 249

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 249

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 249

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 250

Sikhism-The Way of the Guru

p. 252

Introduction

p. 252

Stages of Development and Sacred Texts

p. 252

Founder: Nanak

p. 252

The Gurus After Nanak

p. 253

Guru Adi Granth (The Granth Sahib)

p. 254

The Resurgence of Sikhism in Modern India

p. 255

The Sikh Worldview

p. 256

Humanity: A Pearl in an Oyster

p. 256

Problem: Living Apart from God

p. 256

Cause: Egoism

p. 257

End: Absorption in God

p. 257

Means: Praise and Compassion

p. 257

Reality: Penetrating the "Wall of Falsehood"

p. 259

Sacred: The True Name

p. 259

Sikhism in the Twenty-First Century

p. 260

Chapter Summary

p. 260

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 261

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 261

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 261

The New Religious Movements-Renewal and Innovation

p. 262

Introduction

p. 262

The Rapid Growth of New Religious Movements

p. 262

Problems in Studying New Religious Movements

p. 263

Preparing for the End: Apocalyptic New Religious Movements

p. 265

Seventh-Day Adventism: Living in the Final Days

p. 265

Branch Davidians: Unlocking the Seven Seals

p. 266

Aum Shinrikyo: Teaching the Supreme Truth

p. 267

Faith and Spirit: New Religious Movements of Healing and Awareness

p. 268

Christian Science: Recovering Lost Healing

p. 268

International Raelian Religion: Preparing for the Elohim

p. 270

Jediism: Star Wars Religion

p. 270

Reviving the Church: Christian New Religious Movements of Renewal

p. 272

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons): Christ's Kingdom in America

p. 272

The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (the Unification Church): Restoration of Original Harmony

p. 274

Nature and Spirit: Earth-Based and Ecological New Religious Movements

p. 276

Wicca: Renewing European Witchcraft

p. 276

Deep Ecology: Ecological Egalitarianism

p. 277

Liberation and Enlightenment: New Religious Movements with Asian Roots

p. 279

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness: The Hare Krishnas

p. 279

Falun Dafa (Falun Gong): Cultivating the Universal Life Energy

p. 281

Soka Gakkai: The Society for Value Creation

p. 282

African-American and Afro-Caribbean New Religious Movements

p. 282

The Nation of Islam: The "Black Muslims"

p. 283

The Ras Tafari Movement: The Black Messiah

p. 284

Native American New Religious Movements

p. 285

The Native American Church: Peyote Religion

p. 285

Focusing on the Human and the Natural: Secular New Religious Movements

p. 286

Secular Humanism: Humanity as Ultimate

p. 286

Marxism: Toward a Classless Society

p. 287

Satanism: Indulging Self

p. 288

The Quest for Unity: Universalist New Religious Movements

p. 289

The Baha'i Faith: Toward World Unity

p. 290

Unitarian Universalist Association: The Unity of God

p. 291

Chapter Summary

p. 292

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 292

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 293

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 293

The World's Religions and Contemporary Ethical Issues

p. 295

The Ecological and Economic Crises-Humans and Resources

p. 297

The Ecological Crisis: Is the Balance of Life on Planet Earth in Jeopardy?

p. 297

The Nature of the Issue and the Role of Religion

p. 297

Religious Responses

p. 298

The Economic Crisis: Why Hunger and Abject Poverty in a World of Plenty?

p. 310

The Nature of the Issue and the Role of Religion

p. 310

Religious Responses

p. 311

Chapter Summary

p. 321

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 322

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 322

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 322

War and Capital Punishment-Society and Violence

p. 331

War: When, If Ever, Is War Justified?

p. 331

The Nature of the Issue and the Role of Religion

p. 331

Religious Responses

p. 332

Capital Punishment: When May the State Take a Criminal's Life?

p. 339

The Nature of the Issue and the Role of Religion

p. 339

Religious Responses

p. 340

Chapter Summary

p. 343

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 343

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 344

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 344

Abortion and Euthanasia-Life and Death

p. 348

Abortion: Right to Life or Right to Choose?

p. 348

The Nature of the Issue and the Role of Religion

p. 348

Religious Responses

p. 349

Euthanasia: A "Good Death" or "Playing God"?

p. 357

The Nature of the Issue and the Role of Religion

p. 357

Religious Responses

p. 358

Chapter Summary

p. 363

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 363

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 363

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 364

Gender and Sexual Orientation-Roles and Identity

p. 368

The Changing Roles of Women: Liberation or Confusion?

p. 368

The Nature of the Issue and the Role of Religion

p. 368

Religious Responses

p. 369

Homosexuality: Orientation, Preference, or Perversion?

p. 385

The Nature of the Issue and the Role of Religion

p. 385

Religious Responses

p. 386

Chapter Summary

p. 396

Important Terms and Phrases

p. 397

Questions for Discussion and Reflection

p. 397

Sources and Suggestions for Further Study

p. 397

Conclusion

p. 407

The Future of the World's Religions

p. 408

How the World's Religions Will Relate to One Another: Three Possible Futures